Shush
by Irith Ayllistira
Summary: Post-movie. Eugene's happiness is turned upside down when an old curse leaves him speechless and puts is life on the edge of a knife. And while Corona stands on the brink of war, old enemies threathen to take revenge for the past.
1. Chapter 1

_Hope you enjoy it. Don't forget to **read important author's note in the end.**_

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><p><em><strong>Shush<strong>_

_**A Tangled Fanfic**_

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><p>"Eugene" she whispered.<p>

A wisp of light peeked through the curtains of their room, casting a golden reflection on the bed. Rapunzel smiled dreamily and placed her hand on Eugene's cheek, listening to the sound of his breathing, the peaceful heaving of his chest. Everything was quiet in the castle and Rapunzel had been the first to climb out of her bed, just in time to ran to the other side of the castle and sneak into Eugene's room. His clothing were scattered all around the floor, the tips of his muddy boots hidden beneath the fallen blanket that Eugene managed to unwrap from in the middle of the night. Rapunzel smiled at the chaos and started to fold his clothing, laying it out on the top of a chair nearby. She then proceeded to clean his boots and polish them, placing them near the door. All those tasks she did with a smile on her face because the simple fact of touching his vest and smelling the perfume that emanated from his shirt were enough to make her grin with joy; for the love that she felt for that man who lay in the bed with an angelical expression was big enough to fill her heart with the most simple little things.

A few minutes later, Eugene moaned from under the blankets. Rapunzel climbed the bed and planted a kiss on his forehead.

"Good morning, you sleepy head." He answered her comment with a smile and his hand poked out of the bed to gently caress her neck. She closed her eyes while he traced a line from her jaw to her shoulder and playfully inserted a finger beneath the strap of her nightgown. She giggled and pulled his hand away, flashing a "you'll-have-it-someday" smile. Eugene smiled in return and forced himself up to met her lips. He slowly kissed her, lingering on her lips, his hand playing with her short brown hair. And the castle remained quiet as they kissed, the whisp of light slowly warming up the bedroom, inviting them to go outside.

"That's enough, Eugene" she said, still smiling, pulling away from the kiss.

And then the strangest thing happened.

Eugene's mouth moved but no sound came out. He tried again but only a faint gasp, a shirll sound slipped through his lips. Panicking, Eugene straightened on the bed and reached for his throat, and tried to speak again. But only silence met the room and Eugene, distraught, threw his hands around his neck in hopelessness.

"Eugene, calm down" Rapunzel said, trying to retain her composure. She grasped his hands that desperatly tried to reach out for something; anything to hold on to. He gasped again, as if he was trying to puke, loudly inhaling air as if it could unclog whatever could be stuck in his throat. But no sound was heard.

"Let me get you out of that shirt" she started to unbutton his damp shirt but as she did, tears started to run down her face in desperation and in panic. She didn't know what was happening to him. Last night he was just fine, playing cards with her and their friends next to the fireplace. The last words he had spoken to her had been "good night, my love" and when that memory rang painfully in her head more tears wet her eyes and she found out that she was sobbing like a child.

When she finally managed to take out his shirt, horror struck her hard and both of them stopped breathing.

Black marks scattered around Eugene's chest and throat – blurred dark stains that formed patternless figures and ran up to his shoulders and down to his wrists. Where skin remained intact Rapunzel could detect the glittering of his sweat. When she looked to meet his gaze she saw the tears that brimmed his eyes and with a sob, she held out her hands for him and reached for an embrace, burying her face in his neck and inaling his moist scent as if she was doing it for the very last time.

Without words, Eugene stood motionless, one hand caressing Rapunzel's hair and the other one touching the protuberant marks on his chest. He felt thoughtless as if with his speech all other emotions had vanished. He wasn't exactly searching for answers or for an explanation. Death's cold grip was taking over him, he thought, and so he was starting to search for all meaning in his life – and there it was, crying in his arms.

"Eugene" she managed to say and raised her head to search for life in his eyes. He returned the look and the corners of his eyes wrinkled, in a smile. He touched the markings of his chest again, searching for pain or discomfort. Feeling none, he gently grabbed Rapunzel's shoulders and pulled her away. Parting his lips, he soundlessly spoke to her: "I am not going to die."

She understood his words and calmed herself down. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Rapunzel inhaled deeply; but as she started to inspect the markings that patterned his chest, she saw Eugene's eyes fixed on the wall behind her. And when she looked back, all air left her lungs and her heart felt suddenly heavy.

A black line was moving up and down the wall, slowly forming words. And when it finally stopped, she painfully recognized the writing:

"The Thief is to be hanged for his crimes."

It was Gothel's writing.

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><p><strong>AN: I leave it up to you guys: should I continue this or leave it as a one-shot?**


	2. Chapter 2

_By Irith Ayllistira_

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><p><em><strong>Shush <strong>_

_**Chapter II**_

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><p>"Open your mouth, Mr. Fitzherbert."<p>

Eugene did as he was told. Opening his mouth ajar he changed his glance from the royal doctor to Rapunzel who watched near the door. She looked exhausted and there were large, dark circles under her eyes. He shrugged when the royal doctor introduced a wooden spatule down his throat, seraching for swollen tissue or other minor wounds that could provoque his lack of speech. But he found none and silently started to pack up his medical gear.

"Could you find something?" the king asked, lightly squeezing his daughter's shoulder.

"I don't know what happened" the doctor replied "The only thing I can say is that perhaps with hot beverages and a lot of resting, his voice will come back. But other than that, I can't do an if anything for him."

There was a short silence in the room. Eugene looked sadly to Rapunzel's face, as if apologizing for the pain he was causing her. She didn't find enough strength to smile and her eyes searched the doctor's for a last reassurence. But he gave her none and so she sighed and sat down on Eugene's bed.

"This isn't a simple medical condition" she stated "it's her. She is back. I knew she would search for revenge."

The king and the queen sat near them, looking concerned to their daughter and future son-in-law. Eugene and Rapunzel's marriage was to be held the next week but due to that change of events they would be forced to rearrange the occasion. They knew few details about Rapunzel's past life: whenever they tried to understand what their daughter had been through her entire life, she would give short answers and quickly change the subject. So Gothel's and Rapunzel's relationship, as they had always thought, was none of their concern. However, now they needed to search for answers and more information: a great threat was falling upon the kingdom, not only upon their daughter's life but also upon their reputation as a country.

"You have never told us how did... how _did _she disappear" began the Queen, taking her daughter's clenched fist into her own, soft palm. "You have to tell us, sweetie. I know it's hard to talk about it but if you tell us... then we will be able to help you and Eugene."

Rapunzel bit her lip and her eyes became brimmed with tears. She glanced upon the wall where Gothel's writing shone in that velvety dark color and her mind wandered back when she thought that woman meant the entire world for her. She tricked her from the start, hiding everything from her: her identity, her parents and her right to the crown. And most of all, she had pretended to be a loving mother figure when after all she was nothing but a wicked, old witch that was too coward to live with the truth.

"There's nothing to talk about her" Rapunzel's voice was cold and steady. But her hand trembled within her mother's grasp and noticing it, the Queen brushed away the hair from her daughter's eyes.

"Why do you think she is back, Rapunzel?"

"She feels betrayed. She hates me and she hates Eugene. She disappeared when he cut my hair... fell through the window. But I never checked the floor. I believe she didn't really die. I thought" she stumbled on her words and Eugene made his way across the room to hold her. "I thought she died. I thought she was gone forever"

And she wept. Eugene buried his head on her shoulder, thinking about her words and thinking about his future. Everyone in the room stood silent and after infinite moments of reflection, thoughtless.

Eugene opened the bedside table's drawer and picked up a pen and a notebook. He wrote something in his unkempt fashion and handed it over to his bride.

"_Don't worry about me. I'll be just fine."_

She shook her head "You won't, Eugene. She will come for you."

"I will do everything in my power to stop that creature" the king assured, kneeling near his daughter. "I promise Eugene will be protected, as long as he stays here."

Rapunzel softly nodded but her hand graped Eugene's fingers. She whimpered.

"You promise?"

"Yes" the king smiled. "And when I promise something-"

"You never, ever break that promise" she concluded.

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><p>AN: Reviews feed me. They make me write faster and better. I write in collaboration with my readers and I've always loved to do it that way. So leave your feedback by clicking the button below


	3. Chapter 3

_By Irith Ayllistira_

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><p><em><strong>Shush<strong>_

_**Chapter III - Forever**_

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><p>Eugene slowly opened the door to Rapunzel's room. The dim candle light placed on top of her nightstand cast blurred shadows on the wall and curtained her bed with darkness. She was already tucked inside the sheets, with a small book on her lap. Her white, translucent nightgown showed the curves underneath and Eugene couldn't help but blush at the sight of Rapunzel's porcelain skin.<p>

She smiled when she noticed him on the doorstep. Indicating him to enter, Eugene made his way across the room and sat down on Rapunzel's bed, taking her hand into his. Feeling the weight of the notebook inside the pocket of his jacket, he averted the thought of having to write to communicate with her. After all, Rapunzel was a talkative girl and he felt that since he lost his voice, she was losing the joy of talking to him, probably feeling that even if he wrote back, he wasn't able to keep the pace of their conversation.

He slowly traced his thumb along her jawline. He wanted to touch her, to feel her next to him; their distance was consuming him. He had been _so close_ to marry her and now all of their plans had been spoiled by that event. He didn't need his voice to marry the love of his life! He didn't need his voice to be a good prince-consort – but the laws of the kingdom said otherwise and he felt unworthy of provoking and displeasing Rapunzel's parents.

Rapunzel wasn't reacting to his touch. He caressed her neck but she kept staring constantly at her lap. Eugene felt a big knot forming on his throat: what was happening to her? Would she stop loving him because of what was happening?

Eugene softly lifted her chin and their eyes met. His lips formed a single word: _"Speak."_

She avoided his piercing gaze; ignored his single, _oh so consuming_ word. Frustrated, Eugene reached for the notebook inside of his pocket but Rapunzel's hand darted towards his own fingers to stop him from touching his jacket.

"I hate this, Eugene" she finally said. Her voice sounded hoarse, as if she hadn't spoken in a long time. "I hate the situation we are in. I just – I can't stop thinking that she is somewhere—out there, trying to hurt you."

Eugene flashed a reassuring smile. She wasn't comforted by the sight of it.

"You don't understand. Moth—Gothel is capable of great, terrible things. She held me there me for eighteen years just to use my hair. She kidnapped me, took me away from my parents, my crown, my people – just to be young and live forever. She is a very selfish woman and I can't imagine—I can't imagine what she is capable of. Specially for revenge."

She let him take the notebook out of his pocket. Now more used to write his quick messages, Eugene's hand flew on the paper.

"_Don't worry. Nothing will happen to me."_

"You have been saying that for the past three days but I can't help it. I can't help but worrying about your future."

Her hand traveled from his collarbone to his chest. She pressed her palm against his body, feeling the rough black marks underneath his shirt. They had called the most prestigious doctors and they couldn't even detect the origins of those marks, further remove them.

Eugene held her hand, feeling her warmth. Oh, how he wanted to cry out loud his love for Rapunzel! – and how he regretted that he didn't say "I love you" as much as he wanted to. The words, the whole concept of "Love" seemed different when he had no way of exposing his feelings to her. It would never fit in paper. It would never fit in written words. No testament could hold the enormity of his love for her. He feared that now that he was voiceless, she would never truly understand what he truly felt.

"_I want to show you something."_

She read the note suspiciously.

"What?"

Eugene leaned towards her and kissed her. It wasn't a gentle or soft kiss but rather a brutal, desperate one, a kiss that fought to consume in seconds all the hopelessness that he was feeling. She didn't respond at first but suddenly her fingers grasped his collarbone, her breath heavy with the urge of becoming his. She proceeded on unbuttoning his shirt while Eugene tugged at her nightgown, wishing to completely rip it off and feel the warm, smooth skin underneath.

When Eugene gathered enough sense to stop tugging at her clothes and simply remove them, he succeeded in reaching for the first button when Rapunzel froze in his embrace.

"Stop it" she pulled away and leaned on the headboard, panting heavily. Her whole face was red with embarrassment and desire. Gathering herself together and slipping the first pearl button under its case, she sighed and dropped on the pillows.

"We can't do this."

The thought of having to use his notebook to ask why was too much for Eugene to endure. His pride was breaking down with his own situation. He instead formed the word with his lips, as he did whenever he had to say a single or pronounceable word.

"We can't do it before we get married" she blushed even more.

He was puzzled at her sentence.

"_No one will know" _he quickly wrote.

Rapunzel looked around as if searching for the small book that had been thrown aside in the process. When she reached for it, she sighed.

"Eugene, I—There are things that I don't know how to do."

The smile that he flashed her wasn't genuine or kind.

"_There isn't much science behind it, sweetie."_

"That's not what I mean!" she pouted, angry. "What I mean is... I can't do it because—"

"_Because I can't talk."_

"No, Eugene! That's not it!" she reached for his hands, holding them in hers "I swear to you, Eugene, that to me, your lack of voice doesn't define you. Since we met, I've always felt that you spoke more when you looked at me rather when you truly talked."

He couldn't help but smile at that. Softly removing his hand, he scribbled something.

"_Then why can't we?"_

Rapunzel sighed again and combed her hair with her fingers.

"I don't know when we will get married, Eugene. I don't know when all this mess will get fixed. But I know one thing."

He looked at her, apprehensive.

"I can't marry with a big baby-tummy showing up under my dress."

If he had a voice, he would have laughed at her words and also at her frown. Feeling a sudden burst of adoration and love for that little, petite girl, he embraced her tightly, now more concentrated about smelling her sweet, husky perfume than rather feel the soft curves of her body.

"Can you wait for me?"

He pulled out of the embrace.

"_Until the end of time."_

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><p>Gothel looked at the paintings on the wall. Her eyes slowly traced the contours of Rapunzel's artworks. The tower looked shady and smelled of moist, mold and rust. It was damp with shadows, dark memories and desperation. It was damp with Rapunzel's screams and damp with the remains of the thief's blood – and Gothel loved the feeling of all of those things.<p>

She reached for the doll on the pocket of her cape. It was a man's figure, with dark hair and dark eyes and a scruffy goatee. He had a smirk written on his face, but the cloth texture of his chest was bloated with dark stains, and a needle pierced the centre of his throat. Gothel smiled at the sight and threw the plush over the dust-covered surface of a table nearby. Capturing the glimpse of her own face on a shard of the old, broken mirror, she admired the deep wrinkles that formed around her eyes and the corners of her mouth.

After all, she had been able to live, but never again she would have her youth back.

But it didn't matter anymore. She didn't want her soft skin, her bright eyes or her perky breasts anymore. Oh no. Now she was driven by something much more darker.

Looking at the voodoo-doll, she chuckled.

She was now driven by revenge.

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><p>AN: I really enjoyed writing this chapter. It was so much fun. Tell me what you think of it, I love to read your comments and reviews! Thank you for all the feedback on this story and on "Hanging", I'm so glad you're liking both of my projects so far.

Don't forget to review, just click the button below and I'll give you a cookie ;)


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